In an isosceles triangle, 2 sides of equal length are together 8 cm longer than the third side. If the perimeter of the triangle is 32 cm, what is the length of each side?

Please show any working out!

May 8th 2009, 06:14 PM

billa

Call x the length of one of the two equal sides
Call y the length of the third side

2x+y=32
because perimeter = length of all three sides added together
2x=y+8
because "2 sides of equal length are together 8cm longer than third side"
One way to solve is by substitution
y=2x-8
so,
2x+(2x-8)= 32
4x=40
x=10
So each of the equal sides has length ten
You can probably take it from here